Jennifer Sygo: Sex, diet and what men need to eat to stay fleet between the sheets

Sex, diet and what men need to eat to stay fleet between the sheets

Around Valentine’s Day, the popular notion is that everyone is supposed to find love and affection, not to mention a heaping dose of tantric sex later in the evening. That’s all well and fine, as long as you have a partner who finds overpriced dinners, or final-season episodes of The Office to be particularly titillating.

But if you’re like an estimated three million Canadian men over the age of 40 dealing with erectile difficulties, your sex life might not be what it once was, and the relationship hangover that can result? Well, let’s not go there.

Dubbed the “Predicktor” — get it? — a new app for Android smartphones has been developed by Toronto’s Dr. Christopher Culligan and the team at The Doctor Says that promises, with a few data inputs, to predict the size of a man’s penis. No, really. You enter pertinent details — the size of a man’s feet, his height, ring size, whether he’s a porn star (etc, etc) — and then the gauge cross-references with a number of trends and gives you a probable penis size. The developers claim the app is meant “as a fun and factual catalyst for discussion” and that “If your penis is between 3.5 and 7.5 inches, you’re in the company of 95% of men worldwide.”

In his own words, Culligan claims to have invented the app because, as he puts it:

“More and more male patients, no matter how healthy, how successful, are expressing anxiety about the size of their penis. It’s concerning, especially since because most guys who consider themselves small are actually entirely normal.”

So what can a guy do? He could, of course, pop the little blue pill or its equivalent for some short-term gain, but what about the long-term? Is there anything that can be done to prevent or even treat men’s sexual health without resorting to medication?

ANATOMY OF ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

As it turns out, there is. And the answer actually lies not in your nether regions, but with your heart. No, not your sentimental, get-in-touch-with-your feelings part of you, but your actual blood-and-muscle ticker. You see, any part of our vasculature, from brain to heart to penis (yeah, I said it), is all part of the same system of blood flow from our heart to our muscles and tissues, and back again. Age, poor diet, high blood sugars or blood pressure, or hormonal and inflammatory responses to excess weight can cause damage to our vascular system. That damage, known as endothelial dysfunction, is thought to trigger inflammation and plaque formation in our arteries, making them more rigid, reducing blood flow, and increasing the risk of blockage that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Excess weight, especially around the mid-section can lead to lower levels of testosterone and sex hormone binding protein

Beyond endothelial dysfunction, excess weight, especially around the mid-section — the same stuff that tends to be associated with heart disease— can also lead to lower levels of testosterone and sex hormone binding protein, both of which are associated with impaired sexual function. And in turn, lowered levels of both of these male hormones is associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome (a cluster of symptoms associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease).

What’s more, atherosclerosis (hardening and blockage of the arteries), high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes are all associated with lower circulating levels of a compound known as nitric oxide. Nitric oxide (NO) is a potent vasodilator, meaning that it increases blood flow. And since we’re talking about erectile dysfunction, you can probably guess that low levels of NO are not a good thing. The bottom line? Anything that damages the heart also damages a man’s sexual function.

This relationship between endothelial dysfunction, reduced hormone levels, and low levels of NO might help explain why an estimated 75% of men with cardiovascular disease also have erectile dysfunction. And, conversely, the relationship between sexual function and vascular health is now being taken seriously enough that some experts have deemed ED a “canary in a coal mine” when it comes to more serious cardiovascular illness. So, gents, please pay attention: If you are experiencing diminished sexual function, it’s time pay your friendly neighbourhood GP a visit. It could save your life — and not just in bed.

DIET FOR A HEALTHY SEX LIFE

So, how do we treat ED through diet? Well, in theory, any diet that makes the heart healthier would also be associated with better sexual function. That means that weight loss, regular exercise and a lower calorie diet of any nature would probably be a sensible choice for a man looking to reverse ED. But, for now, of the handful of studies that have been conducted on diet and ED, several have focused on the popular Mediterranean diet, the eating regime based on the diet of natives of the Greek island of Crete. Rich in fruits, vegetables, and fish, and with moderate portions of olive oil, nuts, lean meats, and cheese, the effect of the Mediterranean diet on ED has been tested in a small handful of studies, with promising results: among type 2 diabetic men, those who adhered most strongly had the lowest incidence of ED.

But what about higher protein diets? We know them to be effective for weight loss, but how do they fare in terms of sexual health?

But what about higher protein diets? We know them to be effective for weight loss, but how do they fare in terms of sexual health? According to a 2011 study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, both a calorie-reduced diet, and a low-fat, high-protein, reduced-carbohydrate diet improved erectile function and sexual desire within eight weeks in a group of 31 abdominally obese men with type 2 diabetes. Even better news? The improvements were sustained through a year of follow-up.

THE BOTTOM LINE

While the study of diet and erectile dysfunction is in its infancy, so far, the results have been consistent: weight loss, of any kind, and a healthier diet, can help improve sexual health. And, conversely, a diet made up of the wrong kinds of stuff, be it refined carbohydrates and sugars, convenience food, or with simply too many calories, can not only trigger heart disease, but can be a drag on your sex life, too.